Voice of the people

Median in Sinanaja resulted in job losses

Jobs were lost. Unexpected?

Anyone with a little common sense could have predicted it.

Fifteen people were laid off when I was forced to close Champs and to downsize Butler's. However, this was necessitated due to the government blocking the entrance to my business on Route 4 in Sinajana.

The biggest frustration is that our governor, our Guam delegate and mostly Joanne Brown, the head of the Department of Public Works, seemingly had more pressing matters to attend to. Our governor could have stepped in to save these jobs. Only one senator made some kind of effort when others dropped the ball.

Few people of position came to my aid. Saving these workers' jobs was a low priority. Let's face it -- my problem doesn't mean squat to any of the elected or appointed officials.

This scenario could have been different, ending with a positive conclusion.

There is still time to fix this mistake and shorten the median or at least allow access to my business before the final asphalt coat is laid.

GERARD CHAMPION

Sinajana

We need to put an end to backyard burning

Have you ever inhaled the smoke of someone who is burning their trash? If so, then did you know that the smoke you just inhaled can put you at risk for heart disease, aggravate your respiratory ailments and cause nausea, rashes, or headaches?

I am writing to you to inform you about the cause and effects of backyard burning and what can be done to reduce it. Backyard burning refers to the burning of household trash by residents on their property. The trash normally consists of paper, cardboard, food waste, plastic and other items that could be recycled, composted or sent to the landfill.

People burn their trash to avoid taking it to the transfer station or to avoid paying for waste collection service.

Most people who burn their trash are unaware of how harmful this practice is to their health and the environment. Backyard burning produces highly toxic chemicals known as dioxin. These chemicals drift into the air we breathe in and settle, ... which can end up in our food.

The Guam EPA must work with the Guam Fire Department to spot burning, provide information to those who are burning, create a record of those people, and impose a citation or fine for those who continue to burn. In order to get this plan going, the public must write letters to the senators voicing their opinions on backyard burning and what they can do to help stop it.